1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a locator device and more particularly, to a locating position input device for inputting a position on which a cursor is located on a screen of a computer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, a mouse has been usually used as a locator in computer systems. In other words, the position of a cursor (i.e., the cursor position) on a screen has been usually controlled by using a mouse. In this case, however, there is a problem that a considerably large space is necessary to allow movement of the mouse.
On the other hand, in recent years, in the field of the so-called "virtual reality", a "data glove" has been utilized to input the information into a computer, where the movement of a hand of a person is directly utilized. The data glove has optical fibers attached onto the whole glove in such a way that the intensity of light traveling through the fibers varies according to the flexure of a finger or fingers of the hand.
If the cursor position is controlled by using the data glove, the space around the mouse will be unnecessary. However, there arises a problem of inconvenience or disadvantage in use.
Specifically, first, each time the operation of the cursor is started, the dada glove needs to be put on the hand.
Second, when the data glove is put on the hand, close or minute operation such as a keystroke of a keyboard cannot be done, which requires the glove to be taken off from the hand.
Third, when the glove does not fit the hand, the cursor position cannot be controlled as intend.
Further, the Japanese Non-Examined Patent Publication No. 4-143602, which was published in May 1992, discloses a device having a plurality of displacement transducers connected in cascade with wires. The plurality of displacement transducers are attached or adhered to a finger. The angle of an articulation of the finger is detected based on the electric signals outputted from the plurality of displacement transducers.
The Japanese Non-Examined Patent Publication No. 2-298479, which was published in December 1990, discloses a robot hand having a plurality of electrodes attached or adhered to the skin of the robot hand. The plurality of electrodes output electric signals according to the signals from the muscles in the hand. The fingers of the hand are controlled by using the electric signals from the plurality of electrodes.
If these two techniques disclosed in the Japanese Non-Examined Patent Publication Nos. 4-143602 and 2-298479 are applied to the locator device (i.e., the control of the cursor position), the space around the mouse for movement will be needless similar to the case of the data glove. However, in this case, there is a disadvantage of inconvenience because the transducers or electrodes need to be attached to the finger and detached therefrom.